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From the Ottawa Citizen
Thursday, August 3, 2000
Letter to the Editor
(Caption under photo): "Pepper spray's hazards warrant banning the chemical used by law enforcement agencies, writes Jennifer Tsun. Police used the spray as a deterrent after protests turned into riots in cities such as Windsor, above, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver."
I recently wrote to my member of Parliament concerning the use of pepper spray by police and other law enforcement agents, in particular during protest rallies.
I urged Lanark-Carleton MP Ian Murray to demand a federal ban on the use of pepper spray by all law enforcement agencies, particularly for crowd control. There is considerable evidence that it leads to more violence and confusion. It can also be fatal for some people.
A report, The Health Effects of Pepper Spray by Dr. C. Gregory Smith and Dr. Woodhall Stopford, was published in the September/October 1999 edition of the North Carolina Medical Journal. This report is available on the Internet at www.ncmedicaljournal.com/Smith-OK.
The report's information is alarming but the message is clear. Pepper spray's chemicals are dangerous and can be lethal.
In a letter sent to all MP's regarding last November's incident on Parliament Hill when homeless protesters were pepper-sprayed by officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Coalition for a Federal Ban on Pepper Spray states: "At least 12 people were pepper sprayed and six were taken to hospital for treatment. The RCMP did not give a verbal warning to protesters with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty protesters before its use."
The coalition states: "We call this a crime because pepper spray can cause the protective layer of the eye to become denuded, which can lead to blindness; cause severe pain to skin and mucous membranes; cause respiratory distress including an asthmatic attack and severe shortness of breath and cause severe gastritis and diarrhea."
The letter as well as many articles on pepper spray can be found on the Internet at www.interlog.com/~cjazz/pepper.
There are also documented cases of death due to pepper spray both in the United States and Canada. The recent deaths in July of two men in Montreal after being pepper sprayed by police should alert most Canadians to this growing problem.
Jennifer Tsun
For your interest, the full text of the letter as written to the Ottawa Citizen appears below:
I recently wrote a letter to my MP on a subject that greatly concerns me: the use of pepper spray by police and other agents of law enforcement in this country. The use of pepper spray, in particular by police during protest rallies, is totally unacceptable and there should be a federal ban on its use. I have enclosed some information for your interest at the end of this letter.
I urged MP Murray to demand a federal ban on the use of pepper spray by all law enforcement agencies, particularly in regards to crowd control. There is considerable evidence that its use in crowd settings is unsuitable and actually leads to more violence and confusion. It can also be fatal for some people. I further urge all concerned citizens to contact their MP's.
A recent report by the North Carolina Medical Journal called "The Health Effects of Pepper Spray" has been posted on the internet at http://www.ncmedicaljournal.com/Smith-OK.htm. The information in it is alarming but the message is clear. The stuff is dangerous and can be lethal.
In a letter from the Coalition for a Federal Ban on Pepper Spray regarding last November’s incident on Parliament Hill where homeless protesters were pepper sprayed by RCMP, it states:
“At least 12 people were pepper sprayed and 6 were taken to hospital for
treatment. RCMP did not give a verbal warning to protesters with the Ontario
Coalition Against Poverty protesters before its use.
“We call this a crime because the following facts are known:
# pepper spray can cause the protective layer of the eye to become denuded,
which can lead to blindness
# pepper spray can cause severe pain to skin and mucous membranes
# pepper spray can cause respiratory distress including an asthmatic attack
and severe shortness of breath
# pepper spray can cause severe gastritis and diarrhea
# there are numerous documented cases of death due to pepper spray both in
the United States and Canada
# people are more susceptible to pepper spray if they are elderly, have
weakened immune systems, are on neuroleptics or antidepressants, have heart
or respiratory problems.”
Then there was pepper spray used at Windsor during the OAS convention protests and at Toronto during the recent poverty rally at Queens Park in June.
The recent deaths in July of two men in Montreal after being pepper sprayed by police should alert most Canadians to this growing problem. There have been other incidents involving psychiatric patients that have gone unnoticed by most people.
As the government continues to disregard the people of this country, the youth, the Native peoples, the immigrants, the poor and working people, there will be more demonstrations and rallies. How much longer before someone dies at one of these rallies is anyone’s guess. If it happened as the result of pepper spray, it would not be surprising.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Tsun
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This page created August 5, 2000
